Jets face surging Islanders as crucial homestand finale looms. See Winnipeg's tested lineup, including Hellebuyck in net, aiming for a third straight victory.
The 17-22-5 Winnipeg Jets are set to host the 25-15-5 New York Islanders from Canada Life Centre on Tuesday evening.
The game will serve as the final test of the five-game homestand for the Jets, which have salvaged back-to-back wins since opening the season poorly and stringing together 11-straight losses from December to January.
Photo by Wendell Cruz/USA Today A busy stretch at home will see the completion of the team's fifth game in just eight days, before hitting the road for one game, coming back home for another, travelling away for one and returning home for three more before heading out on a four-game road trip to close out the month.
It has been an extremely busy stretch, with no signs of slowing down.
Winnipeg will face a strong and youthful Islanders team on Tuesday boasting the likes of last year's No. 1 selection in the NHL Draft, Matthew Schaefer - a reminder of what picking early in the draft can do to a struggling team.
The Jets will line up rather similarly to that of their last game - a win - in hopes of replicating their recent run of good luck.
Neal Pionk, who missed a game and returned on Sunday, did not skate on Tuesday.
Colin Miller was placed on Winnipeg's injured reserve after hurting himself on Sunday, to which Isaak Phillips was called up. It doesn't appear as though he will make his Jets debut, but rather the injured Pionk will get back to his familiar spot opposite Dylan Samberg on Tuesday.
Connor Hellebuyck will start in goal for Winnipeg.
Winnipeg Jets expected line combinations for Tuesday, January 13 vs. New York:
Connor-Scheifele-Iafallo
Perfetti-Toews-Vilardi
Niederreiter-Lowry-Namestnikov
Koepke-Zhilkin-Pearson
Morrissey-DeMelo
Samberg-Pionk
Stanley-Schenn
Healthy scratches: Phillips, Nyquist
Injured: Fleury, Barron, Miller